Cruise control

CRUISE CONTROL May/June 2018 Why your twenties are your selfish years

what to pack on your next getaway Dine like a local

Small Towns, Big Personalities

Table of Contents

1.

Letter from the Editor - Page 4 Eat Like a Local - Page 5 What to Pack - Page 8

Why Your Twenties Are Your Selfish Years - Page 9 Exploring Small Town America - Page 11 Avoid the Uber - Page 14 To Buy The Ticket...Or To Not? - Page 15

See Life Through a Rose Colored Glass

2.

Santo Wines Santorini, Greece

Letter from the Editor There’s nothing more spiritual and self-empowering than traveling in your twenties. A friend recently asked me why I choose to constantly go outside of my comfort zone when my everyday life is comfortable and familiar. It’s easy to explain, but maybe not as easy to understand. In my eyes, traveling broadens your horizons and teaches you that there is another world outside of your quiet four-cornered bedroom. True living is drinking a cold glass of rosé while overlooking the cliffs of Santorini, Greece or riding camelback through the Sahara Desert. Traveling at such a young age teaches you that the most important person in your life is you. It’ll teach you how to care for yourself when the rest of the world doesn’t know you from the stranger sitting beside you on the subway.

It humbles you to realize things shouldn’t be taken for granted and there’s no reason to complain about how long the barista at Starbucks is taking to make your venti non-fat caramel macchiato with almond milk, extra ice. Traveling in your twenties teaches you to accept and experience different cultures. As you’ll see on page 7 & 8, visiting somewhere new ntroduces you to a variety of interesting foods - some made of the freshest ingrediants specific to that area. Page 14 dives head-first into why you should ditch the taxis and Ubers and opt to go off the beaten path - something that will prove to be a highly rewarding experience. Whether it’s a country away, across the globe or right around the corner (see Page 11, Exploring Small Town America), there is so much to learn from getting outside of the ordinary and taking on the world around you.

So I challenge you to explore your world (and yourself) and ask the question, “who am I, and where am I going?”. Because half of the journey is deciding to go.

-XOXO,

D.

The Maremma region of Tuscany

is truly one-of-a-kind. With shorelines offering white sandy beaches and rugged cliffs to grassy vineyards and fresh wine, the area is home to an abundance of Italian delights. Experience the food culture by ordering bruschetta - a classic Italian favorite made up of bread drizzled with olive oil, diced tomatoes, cracked sea salt and pepper and garnished with chopped basil for a pop of color and a hint of electricity on the taste buds. The dish is best served with a glass of sparkling white wine.

Eat A

Santa Trinita Gelateria in Florence, Italy is home to creamy and decadent gelato, served by the pound.

That’s right, customers can purchase tubs of gelato with up to five different flavors. Not in the mood to end your day in a sugar high?

Purchase a cup or cone for up to 5 euros worth of whipped goodness.

Sometimes you just need a spot of

English tea. Danesfield House Hotel and Spa located in the coastal town of Marlow, serves a proper English Afternoon Tea. With an abundance of herbal and specialty flavors including vanilla and orange ginseng, the residence is nothing short of elegant.

Like Local An Afternoon Tea ses-

sion also includes finger sandwiches, scones with a variety of fresh jams, and an assortment of tea cakes.

Feel like treating yourself?

Order a Champagne Afternoon Tea and enjoy some bubbly as you sit back and relax.

By Dana Sutcliffe

Gusta Pizza

7.

Via Maggio 46R, Florence

What to Pack 5 Things You Won’t Want To Forget On Your Next Getaway 1. Neck pillow - you’ll want something comfortable to take with you for those long plane or car rides.

2. Extra change of clothes - Just in case your luggage goes missing...you’ll want an extra swimsuit to jump in the pool with and forget your worries.

3. Anti-bacterial wipes - Ever think about how many people have touched that arm rest before you? Give your seat a nice wipe-down before settling in for the journey.

4. Earbuds - Traveling without music? Never. Make sure you pack a pair of headphones for the commute - whether it’s to jam to your favorite band or drown out the sound of a baby crying on the plane.

5. Sunscreen/sunglasses - Protect yourself from the sun, especially if your travels include somewhere tropical and warm. You’ll want to shade your eyes from the light and keep your skin healthy for years to come.

9.

Why Your Twenties Are Your

Selfish

By Dana Sutcliffe

Years.

Rewind back to my last two years of high

school and things appeared relatively seamless from the outside looking in. I had a long-term boyfriend, I was on a State Champion-winning lacrosse team and had a group of about fifteen close friends that did everything together. But still, I consciously dreamed of my future life every day in class until I no longer had to sit in the hard, plastic chairs at Chariho High School. There was something in my life that I needed, or wanted at least, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

The spring of my freshman year of college was when things really started to change. I had suffered through most of the year not really satisfied with life and blamed most of it on not choosing the right school. I told my parents I hated Lasell and that I was going to transfer in the fall, but the truth rose to the surface in March when my boyfriend of four years broke up with me. Now let’s be clear, it wasn’t something I was completely thrown off by. There were some major red flags and looking back now, he will definitely make someone happy one day but that person would have never been me. As this event was unfolding and I was sensing more and more that our relationship was on the rocks, I started to become an anxious person. I thought that if we were to break up I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I started to realize that I had put so much effort into making someone else happy, that I forgot how to make myself happy first…and now it was going to be too late.

When the inevitable finally happened and we broke up over spring break, I cried for a total of ten minutes.

This surprised me more than anything because I had expected to hole up in my room for a week with the blinds shut, only allowing human interaction if it was my mother bringing me a bowl of cookie dough Ben and Jerry’s. But alas, here I was seemingly relieved that my relationship had just ended.

Upon taking a drive by the beach, my mind cleansing go-to, I realized I had been so burdened with trying to make my relationship work that I was neglecting the most important person in my life, me.

I went on to truly enjoy the rest of my freshman year and had the best summer of my life.

When I entered my sophomore year of college, I decided that it was time to let those old high school daydreams come to life.

I applied to study abroad in Italy and a year later, I found myself walking the same cobblestoned streets I had thought about for two years, complete with the frothy cappuccino.

I embarked on a multitude of trips all around Europe, meeting people who looked like me and some who didn’t. I tried new foods and spoke in new tongues. I slept on 24-hour ferries and sat at the helm of a small boat while the clear blue water of Greece splashed alongside it. I experienced things that America could have never given me and in retrospect, I could have never given myself by staying in a place where I neglected my own goals and desires.

I realized not only from my trip, but since that day back in March of freshman year that you only get to be truly selfish once in your lifetime. Before the busy weekdays of your dream job set in. Before you get married and feel guilty for not cooking your husband or wife dinner six out of seven night of the week.

Before there’s a small child hiding behind your legs, wining to be picked up. Go now. Live for yourself now.

It’s every second you spend living life for someone else or neglecting your own ambitions that’s wasting time.

Sometimes it’s the thing you think will absolutely break your being that ends up impacting your life in the most positive way.

So, take your twenties as your selfish years.

Travel the world, start your blog, or break up with Mr. Right Now and finally buy that camera you’ve been wanting with the leftover Valentine’s Day money. Take your life seriously…or don’t! Journal what you want in life right now…for tomorrow…in the next five years. Stop scrolling through your Insta feed and start spending time in the most neglected areas of your life. Take a warm bath with lots of bubbles and drink a glass of wine. Life is too short to spend it on anyone but yourself first. And for what you don’t yet understand, your experiences and true inner happiness will thank you for later.

10.

Exploring Small Town america Watch Hill, Rhode Island

By Dana Sutcliffe

Nestled in the southern tip of Rhode Island, Watch Hill is a cozy yet bright and lively coastal town where beach days, fine dining and luxurious shopping go hand in hand.

Where to Eat~ Cooked Goose $$-$$$ (Reservations optional but encouraged)

A more affordable dining option and a popular brunch nook for locals. Cooked Goose offers a breakfast and lunch menu full of vegan and vegetarian options as well as fresh daily seafood specials. The buzzing cafĂŠ also features a wide selection of daily made side salads, antipastos, pies, cake and other desserts.

Olympia Tea Room $$$ (Reservations required)

A historical seaside restaurant facing the Napatree Point Bay, Olympia Tea Room is the perfect place to have a glass of wine outside or enjoy a glamorous dinner in the heart of Watch Hill. True to its name, the Tea Room offers a selection of hot beverages as well as a menu full of classic seafood, steak, burgers and salads.

11.

Where to Stay~ The Watch Hill Inn $$-$$$

Visit the coastal bungalows of The Watch Hill Inn. With overlooks of the Watch Hill bay, sailboats and the daily excitement of a small patriotic town, you won’t be disappointed! The Inn also offers the preppy “Lily Pulitzer Room” and similarly styled “Vineyard Vines Room”, open for reservation.

The Ocean House $$$

With the most affordable room starting at $500 a night, the Ocean House may just be the centerpiece of Watch Hill. Newly renovated, the rear-facing rooms of this classy stay provide breath taking views of the Atlantic and East Beach - named one of the best beaches on the Eastern Seaboard! The Ocean House also provides nightly events as well as athletic classes in the mornings and evening for the active visitor.

What to do~

Known for the annual Ocean House 4th of July Party, the entire town of Watch Hill lights up for the Fourth. With three separate fireworks shows surrounding the patriotic holiday (one of the shows put on by none other than Taylor Swift), locals and tourists gather together to celebrate America’s birthday. The town also features a Red, White, and Blue themed parade – the perfect way to start your Watch Hill weekend before heading to the beach.

How to get there~

12.

While the town of Watch Hill is accesible by boat, most visitors travel by car. Parking lots usually charge $25 and upwards to park for the day but there is (limited) 2-hour street parking available as well.

Visit London Go to https://visitlondon.com/ to plan your trip

Avoid the Uber: How to get where you’re going

It was my first time visiting Germany when I realized I was taking life too seriously. Cramming my schedule with busy to-do’s and getting from place to place before the day ended was a constant rotation that I couldn’t seem to get out of. It was the busy streets of downtown Munich that forced me to see I needed to take a breath of fresh German air and slow down. I didn’t realize however that this “slowing down” would include stepping off the metro and onto an old school bicycle. It was metal and red and had a basket on the front that reminded me of The Wizard of Oz. I rode my bike through the downtown streets, past flower markets and pretzel stands and the chiming clocks of looming, medieval churches. My bike brought me to the outskirts of the city where long and winding pathways led to bubbling rivers and locals looking to get away from tourists. I drove my bike through acres of green park until I reached a beer garden about a mile outside of the city center. It was quiet, with only the faint chirping of birds and the laughter of giddy Germans sharing pints of brew to be heard. I parked my bike and sat for a moment, taking it all in. Gone was the smog of the city – the stillness of life inside the forest had taken over. It was peaceful bliss.

The moral of this story? Take yourself outside of your “normal” and explore new places. Opt to go off the beaten path and avoid transportation that would usually appeal to you. It may be easier, but it’s not nearly as rewarding. See for yourself what the locals view as hidden gems and I guarantee you it will be a real and truly authentic experience you won’t forget.

By Dana Sutcliffe

To buy the ticket....

By Dana Sutcliffe

For most, studying abroad is the opportunity of a lifetime. To be able to travel the world and experience academic life in another country gives students the chance to grow and learn in a way they may never have imagined back home. While the thought of leaving for months strikes some individuals as daunting, others thrive in such extreme circumstances. It even pushes some to pursue an international career later on in life. But why do some students choose to stay at their home University instead of opting for such a unique experience? With most institutions in America offering a tuition-match program allowing people to pay the same amount abroad as they do at their domestic school, it seems like a no-brainer. While the percentage of American students who study abroad has greatly increased in recent years, there’s always room for improvement. To address this head on, a handful of Cruise Control Staff Reporters set out to see how going abroad during one’s college years has affected them and how they made the most important decision of all: to go or not to go?

Mary Fran Hansen, a Junior at Lasell College, studied abroad last semester in Lugano, Switzerland.

“My initial emotion when I was leaving to go abroad was a weird mix of extreme excitement and extreme nerves. I really didn’t know anyone going into it, which was the scary part, leaving to go on this big trip by myself. But at the same time, the excitement of embarking on this new chapter in my life was really thrilling and put all the nerves away, just by being excited of what was to come,” said the Junior. She explained that the only thing mentally holding her back was the Barcelona terrorist attack, which took place right before she left for Lugano.

“The turmoil in other countries for sure played a factor in why I had nerves,” Hansen explains. “I had to remember that it is so important to make smart decisions, stick with friends when traveling, and don’t let it put fear in you. That mentality kept me wanting to keep traveling to different countries and helped the nerves to subside.”

Hansen explained that she was glad to have kept such a fearless mentality throughout her study abroad experience. She touched upon the fact that it was so easy to get carried away with “what if ” thoughts regarding terrorism.

According to Forbes online publication, “In 2015-2016, France, Germany and Belgium were all targeted for attacks and bombings, resulting in over 290 deaths and 1,200 injured, including the perpetrators. But many students are still heading to Europe, undaunted. The continent remains the top destination (55%) for U.S. students going abroad.” The article goes on to follow Elon University’s Study Abroad Program, which sent a whopping 74% of students from The Class of 2016 abroad.

“Our numbers in terms of how many students study abroad, where they’re studying abroad, how that’s affected our operations hasn’t really shifted,” Shanna Van Beek, the Assistant Director of Elon’s Study Abroad Program says. She notes that the only major change in the process of students studying overseas is choosing to talk more in depth about health and safety precautions. It seems most students know terrorism and tragedies can happen anywhere and at any time. The main thing they can do to combat the negative is to make smart decisions as they travel.

While there may unfortunately always be the possibility of encountering terrorism abroad, students have not seemed to let this factor hold them back – choosing to travel and embark on what many call the “experience of a lifetime.”

Elizabeth Leahy, a college Junior in the New England area, studied in Dublin, Ireland during the Fall 2017 semester. She vividly recalls the biggest culture shock between Europe and the United States.

or to not?

“People in Ireland are so open. Whether I was in the store, on the bus, or at a café, I typically found myself chatting with the locals,” Leahy says. “They loved to be open and have conversations. When I’m walking down the street in the U.S. I find myself wearing headphones and looking down. In Dublin, I found myself walking with my head up and making eye contact and conversation with locals.” The seemingly small differences between the two countries made a (literal) world of difference to Leahy, who says she will always remember the things she learned while talking with locals. Kathleen Mansfield, a college Junior who was abroad during the Fall 2017 semester, reminisces about similar experiences while in Florence, Italy.

“I would go to this one local coffee shop everyday called, Green Street Café,” she says. “The baristas would chat with us and one was even a study abroad student a few years ago from America who decided to move to Italy after college.” The love for traveling experienced by so many people across the country has us utterly baffled by the same question: If studying abroad has such a clear impact on the thousands of American students who choose to go every year, why do some still opt to stay home?

Alyxandria Barbieri and Katherine O’Connor, two Juniors at Lasell College, think they may have the answers.

“For a lot of people, it’s about your major. I’m part of the Education Department on campus and I had to pull a lot of strings to be able to study abroad in Italy,” says Barbieri. “I know there are a few other majors on my campus, like Athletic Training and Event Management, that have serious trouble trying to go,” she adds in.

Her friend, Katherine O’Connor thinks students may choose to stay in the United States for personal reasons.

“A lot of people feel comfortable with where they’re at. They don’t want to leave their families, friends, boyfriend/girlfriend. It all comes back to that sense of FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out,” O’Connor says.

Both girls were fortunate to have unique study abroad experiences. “I lived in a section of Florence that was mostly locals,” Barbieri tells the Cruise Control Staff. “Every night while my roommates and I were making dinner we would hear a man outside in the square below playing the accordion. It was like something out of a movie.”

Katherine studied at Franklin University in Switzerland. Through her program she was able to travel to Zimbabwe and Botswana, Africa for a two-week mid-semester trip. It was there that she camped inside a tent on the Savanna – living with the land and close to wild animals. She visited an elephant sanctuary, hiked Victoria Falls and white water rafted down a tumultuous river. “These experiences are almost impossible to find back home,” O’Connor says. “Tell me where I can find a herd of wild elephants in the United States and watch them interact at a watering hole.”

Aside from her travels across Europe (with visits including Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Ireland), O’Connor said she still has days where she can’t believe she was in Africa. “It feels like a lifetime away at this point because I’m back to my everyday routine in Massachusetts. I am so unbelievably grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to travel across the world at such a young age,” she says. Besides studying in Switzerland, O’Connor was one of the 12 students chosen to participate in a service-learning trip to Tanzania in May 2017.

It’s clear that students who want to study abroad will find a way, no matter the social, economic, political or even personal climate of their lives at the time. The successes that many colleges in the United States are experiencing with sending students overseas each semester is consistently increasing at a rapid pace. With more students partaking in international experiences throughout their four undergraduate years, the chances of expanding horizons globally after college are through the roof. It’s evident that America is on the right path and many are hopeful that students will continue to choose to study abroad in the future, increasing University statistics and giving more individuals the experience of a lifetime.

Travel Far,

Travel Often Travel Often